Organizers for storing and organizing file folders to be held on a desk are well-known. Specifically, organizers for storing and organizing file folders and other papers are known which include a one-piece molded member having a plurality of vertically oriented compartments which receive the file folders. Throughout the following specification, “file folders” are referred to for convenience. However the invention is also useful for sorting/organizing/storing other items such as papers, booklets, pamphlets, pictures and any other similar objects.
Generally, these known organizers can be grouped into three different groups.
A first group includes organizers having compartments of equal height, so that the file folders are stored one behind the other. However, with such organizers, it becomes difficult to view labels provided on the rearmost file folders, and therefore, it becomes necessary to remove the file folders from the organizer in order to determine the subject matter of the rearmost file folders. This is because the label portion of one file folder will generally block the view of the label on a rearwardly adjacent file folder when the file folders are all at the same height.
A second group includes organizers having compartments of differing heights with larger compartments placed behind smaller compartments, thereby providing a staggered relation of compartments. However, there is no stepped relation between the compartments. Rather, larger file folders and papers are placed in the larger, rear compartments and extend to a height higher than the shorter folders and papers in the forward compartments. However, if file folders of the same height are used, the file folders will be difficult to access from the rear compartments, and in addition, the same disadvantages of the first group of organizers would also apply.
A third group includes organizers having compartments which are of the same height but staggered in height relative to each other by means of steps. In the past, such organizers were not able to support themselves on a desk because of the stepped arrangement and thus were typically limited to being mounted to walls. However, the inventor, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,730 incorporated by reference herein, describes an organizer of this type with compartments having substantially the same height and wherein the compartments are staggered in height relative to each other and wherein the organizer can be stably supported on a desk or other flat surface.
Specifically, the '730 patent describes a file folder organizer including a front wall, a rear wall and side walls connecting the front and rear walls together in parallel, spaced apart relation and such that a lower edge of the rear wall is raised relative to a lower edge of the front wall and an upper edge of the rear wall is raised relative to an upper edge of the front wall. Lower edges of the side walls and the front wall are substantially coplanar to enable the organizer to be supported on a horizontal surface in a vertical orientation. A bottom wall connects the lower edges of the front and rear walls. The bottom wall has steps of different heights which are parallel and offset from each other in a heightwise and depthwise direction of the organizer. The bottom wall is at least partially enclosed by the side walls so that the side walls hide the steps of the bottom wall. Lengthwise and transverse dividing walls divide an area bounded by the front, rear and side walls into a plurality of compartments, at least two of which are closed at a bottom thereof by different steps of the bottom wall so as to provide a staggered relation to the compartments.
The presence of the side walls and transverse dividing wall(s) limits the size of file folders and similar objects which may be placed into the compartments. That is, since the length of each compartment has a length defined by one of the side walls and a transverse dividing wall (or possibly two transverse dividing walls when multiple transverse dividing walls are present), a file folder which is longer than the length of the compartment cannot be placed into the compartment.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a file folder organizer in which there is no limitation on the length of a file folder which can be placed in compartments of the organizer.